Clinicians’ Perspective on Counseling Clients With Reproductive Trauma: A Phenomenological Study

Reproductive trauma (RT) describes experiences of miscarriage, infertility, complicated birth, or infant health risks, often reoccurring. The complexity of RT, lack of public awareness, and limited professional training put individuals and couples at risk for developing mental health issues. This qualitative study explored clinicians’ experiences working with clients presenting with RT. Results revealed rich descriptions of the clinicians’ personal experiences that informed their work as they creatively developed clinical competence, despite the paucity of specialized training, and combined evidence-based trauma interventions such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing with other modalities in the absence of specialized RT therapy. The focus of treatment included trauma, grief/loss, relational distress, and spiritual concerns. Participants emphasized the need for trauma-informed care for medical providers to increase mental health awareness and foster inter-collaboration between professions. Implications for future training and advocacy are discussed.